Gone Viral. Buzz worthy. Reply. Like. In a digital world of constant Facebook updates, dozens of daily Instagram posts and a seemingly never-ending stream of tweets, it might seem odd to be thankful for the ever-increasing buzz of social media.
However, for Hollywood, Internet chatter has been life-enhancing, and they’re grateful for having an immediate way of staying connected and embracing the new art of promotion.
Hollywood director Michael Bay, for example, was able to gain some inspiration from “the people” for the fourth installment of the Transformers series. Here is what Bay said on his blog in regards to some Internet rumors about a certain casting choice:
“I squashed a rumor that was on the Internet last week. It was about Mark Walhberg. Mark was rumored to be starting in Transformers 4. We are working on another movie together, not T4. I had such a great time working with Mark on Pain and Gain, and he gave such a great performance— well let’s say that very Internet chatter gave me some ideas. We are at the inception of our story process right now on T4. Let’s say some ideas are gaining traction with me and my writer— so I’m here to say thanks Internet chatter.”
Eventually, Michael Bay decided that casting Mark Wahlberg would be the right choice. Just a few short days after Bay’s blog post, MTV.com reported that Mark Wahlberg, the Oscar-nominated actor, had been added to Bay’s cast of “Transformers 4,” stepping into the leading man position held by Shia LaBeouf in the first three movies. Therefore breathing new life into the over five-year-old franchise.
Hollywood Screenings & Twitter
And, getting help from Internet chatter isn’t all about filmmaker Michael Bay and growing a fan base. It also came in handy when certain Hollywood studios (namely Paramount) began hosting free screenings of films in major markets with the hope of garnering a positive reaction on Twitter. While the screenings are often a mix of professional critics and moviegoers, the critics usually have agreements with the studio that prevent them from publishing a critique until the film opens, thus allowing people to tweet their reactions before critics have their say. This creates a populist viewpoint for a movie that can contradict the critical consensus, according to Yahoo.com.
For more of a personal, and in-depth experience, Facebook has been used by studios to reveal trailers, posters, and production photographs. A large amount of actors are also active online and have gotten in on the fun by posting on-set photos and updates for fans.
All social media platforms allow Hollywood studios to grant “sneak peeks” or “first looks” at their films, and offer behind-the-scene access that isn’t broadcast on traditional media. Suffice to say, both Twitter and Facebook have a huge impact on deciding if you’re actually going to sit down to popcorn and a soda at the movie as well.
Social Media is the New Form of Entertainment; Young People Want Texting in Movies
According to Hollywood Reporter, social networkers have a one in three chance of deciding to see a movie in a theater because of something they read online. And, social networking isn’t limited to stay-at-home movie watching. 55 percent of moviegoers have texted during a movie. And film moguls take note: The poll found that a majority of 18-to-34-year-olds believe using social media while watching a movie in a theater would add to their experience, and nearly half would be interested in going to theaters that allowed texting and surfing the Web. Hear that, Hollywood?
While social networking is a big part of the movie watching experience, it has been found that traditional marketing is still the biggest factor in the moviegoers decisions. The study according to Hollywood Reporter found that 40 percent of respondents say trailers and previews are the biggest influences on their movie choices. Only 9 percent of respondents said that comments or reviews on networking sites are important.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the social media bubble is no longer just a place for idle chit-chat, it’s now a means of distribution of premium content. Most social-media sites are now formalizing their relationships with the entertainment industry to show users and advertisers that websites offer content beyond the trivial.
This also asks the question: Will consumers eventually want to get information that’s filtered by traditional means via a journalist? Or has the model of media consumption changed for good? It seems like the latter will win.
There’s no better way to amplify your voice, opinion, likes and dislikes than through social media. Keep Internet chatting and you may just see your suggestion transform an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster.
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